INSIDE THE CELTICS: Ainge's patience with Rivers paid off

Six NBA coaches have already lost their jobs this season, and it has nothing to do with a slumping economy and everything to do with slumping performances.

Six NBA coaches have already lost their jobs this season, and it has nothing to do with a slumping economy and everything to do with slumping performances.

It started with P.J. Carlesimo in Oklahoma City after the Thunder started 1-12. Eddie Jordan was canned by Washington after a 1-10 start. While OKC wasn't supposed to be a world-beater, the Wiz were expected to be a decent team, and Jordan had led them to the playoffs in each of the past four seasons.

From there, it didn't take long for more axes to fall. It's understandable that Randy Wittman was let go with Minnesota at 4-15. Same with Reggie Theus by Sacramento (6-18) on Monday, but the firing of Mo Cheeks in Philadelphia (9-14) and former Coach of the Year Sam Mitchell in Toronto (8-9) were surprises since each team was expected to be in the hunt for a playoff spot, even with the slow starts.

That's 20 percent of the league's head coaches unemployed before Christmas. That makes the relationship between Celtics head coach Doc Rivers and GM Danny Ainge that much more of an anomaly in today's NBA.

Two years ago, the Celtics endured a horrendous 24-58 season. By December, the "Fire Doc" whispers that had surrounded the team since missing the previous year's playoffs had risen into all-out chants filling TD Banknorth Garden. Ainge ignored them, instead rewarding Rivers with both a contract extension and the possibility of coaching the likes of Greg Oden or Kevin Durant via a high pick in the 2007 draft.

That had been Rivers' main job with Boston: developing young talent as the Celtics hoped to someday compete with the big boys. Although he hit some rough patches in that mentor role — especially with young point guards Marcus Banks and Sebastian Telfair — Rivers was generally regarded as the right man for that job.

When the draft lottery didn't pan out and Ainge turned his attention to acquiring Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett, once again there was outcry that Rivers had to go. The knock became he was nothing more than a babysitter, ill-equipped to handle the pressure of coaching a veteran-laden team. There were rumors of a return to television, and that Paul Westphal, Dave Cowens or even Ainge himself might take over behind the bench.

It never happened. Rivers arrived at training camp with the philosophy of "ubuntu" for his new team — "I am because we are," essentially, from the Bantu languages of Southern Africa. The Celtics embraced it — as well as Rivers' new dedication to defense — to the tune of a championship and a subsequent three-year Rivers extension prior to the start of this season.

What would have happened if Rivers had gotten the "plenty of free time for Christmas shopping" treatment? Going down with the 2006-07 ship would've sunk his coaching career for sure, but what about the Celtics? Rivers' oversight of the development of Al Jefferson and, to a lesser degree Ryan Gomes, was instrumental in Minnesota pulling the trigger on the Garnett deal. Even if Ainge acquired Allen and Garnett without Doc, what about the hand he played in bringing late-season free agents P.J. Brown and Sam Cassell into the mix?

The relationship between the front office and the head coach stretches long in Boston, to the days when Ainge and Rivers didn't just go head-to-head as players, but were locker-mates at the 1988 All-Star Game. From the start, Rivers bought into Ainge's plan to restore the Celtics to glory. It became their singular vision, and one might not have seen it to fruition without the other.

That type of faith is apparently rare in the NBA. The Celtics were rewarded for that faith and patience with an NBA championship, followed by the best start in the history of the storied franchise.

Maybe these other guys wouldn't have succeeded as Rivers has, but those teams will never know.

Tim Weisberg covers the Boston Celtics for The Standard-Times. Contact him at timweisberg@hotmail.com